Loxopholis hexalepis ( Ayala & Harris, 1982 )

Diago-Toro, María F., García-Cobos, Daniela, Brigante-Luna, Giovanni D. & Vásquez-Restrepo, Juan D., 2021, Fantastic lizards and where to find them: cis-Andean microteiids (Squamata: Alopoglossidae & Gymnophthalmidae) from the Colombian Orinoquia and Amazonia, Zootaxa 5067 (3), pp. 377-400 : 390

Loxopholis hexalepis ( Ayala & Harris, 1982)

Distribution: Known only from the Venezuelan and Colombian plains, in the Orinoco River basin ( Molina et al. 2002). In Colombia from the Vichada department in the northeast Orinoquia ( Fig. 4D ).

Similar species: Although Loxopholis hexalepis seems to be allopatric from other cis-Andean species in Colombia, it can be distinguished from these in having hexagonal dorsal scales (rhomboid in L. caparensis , L. parietalis , and L. percarinatum ; hexagonal to quadranglar or lanceolate in L. snethlageae ); smooth ventral scales (keeled in L. parietalis , L. percarinatum , and L. snethlageae ); fourth pair of chin-shields reduced (not reduced in L. parietalis and L. snethlageae ); and 32–36 scales around midbody (27–30 in L. caparensis , 23–27 in L. parietalis , 24–27 in L. percarinatum , and 24–26 in L. snethlageae ). For a more detailed description see Molina et al. (2002).

Remarks: In the species redescription, Molina et al. (2002) stated (in error) that the dorsal scales of this species are pentagonal, but their illustrations and the original description indicate they are hexagonal.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution maps for the cis-Andean microteiid lizards in Colombia (Alopoglossidae + Gymnophthalmidae). Circles are examined specimens, while squares are records from literature (see Supplementary Files for specific references). Red arrows indicate new records for Colombia. Black arrows show a zoom in to regions where several records overlap. The light green shadow indicates the Orinoco River basin, and the dark green the Amazon River basin.